Feeding mechanism for sewing machines



T. J. HAYES FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-1,1917.

' Patented Mar. 28,1922.

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T. J. HAYES. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1| 19H- 1,410,753. Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

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Thomas J. Hayes.

. UNITED STATES Parent entice.

THOMAS J. HAYES, OF ROSLINDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 ARBETTER FELLING MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

Application filed August 1, 1917. Serial No. 183.963.

T 0 (1] Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HAYES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Roslindale, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeding Mechanisms for Sewing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawmg, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanism for sewing machines and the object thereof is to provide means for stretching the work slightly at the stitching point so that when the stitches are set by the take-up mechanism all pulling in or puckering of the goods will be avoided.

In the usual operation of sewing machines of any type, and particularly blind stitch sewing machines in which a bender is employed to present the work to the stitch forming mechanism the portions of the work encompassed by the needle thread are likely to be condensed by the action of the take-up so as to produce slight puckers or checks in the material along the line of stitching. The present invention has for its object thepio duction of feeding mechanism adapted for general use but particularly adaptedfor use in connection with blind stitch sewing machines which will remedy this defect.

This is accomplished by providing a main feed dog having a work engaging surface operable to advance the work, with a supplemental instrumentalitv or supplemental instrumentalities operable to stretch the work in the direction of the line of feed at the stitching point, preferably such instru- 'mentalities being located both fore and aft of the stitching point. 7

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

The drawings illustrate the invention as applied to a blind stitch sewing machine for felling of the general Arbetter"type and more particularly of the type illustrated in my prior applications No. 108,279, filed July 5, 1916, and No. 140,522, filed January 4, 1917,

the latter of which discloses a particular form of feeding mechanism to which the present invention is applied.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a blind stitch sewing machine of the Arbetter type, a portion of the bed plate and standard being shown in section, i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the work support, feed dog, and means for actuating the same showing my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the main feed dog and supplemental feed dogs pivotally and yieldably supported thereon.

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the same,

Fig. 5 is an end view of the feed dogs illustrated in Fig, 8,

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the supplemental feed dogs removed from the main feed dog but assembled in working position,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same, and,

Fig. 8 is an end view thereof showing the position of set screws for retaining the adjusting screws which regulate the yieldable supports for the supplemental feed dog.

The sewing machine illustrated herein comprises a bed plate 1 provided with an upwardly projecting boss 2 forming a base for a standard 3 which carries the usual overhanging arm i terminating in a head 5 which supports a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism. The main shaft 6 is journalled in suitable hearings in the arm and standard and is provided with the usual driving pulley 7. The shaft 6 is provided at its opposite end with suitable means for actuating the needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism, the needle mechanism herein disclosed comprising a curved oscillating needle carried by a needle bar 8 which is oscillated in substantially the direction of the line of feed and is provided with means (not shown) for shogging the same laterally to produce two parallel lines of stitching.

The complemental stitch forming mechanism desirably is of the rotary hook or looper type and is carried by a hook bracket 10 depending from the head of the machine, said hook bracket also rigidly supporting the usual presser foot 11 as in the Arbetter typeof machines.

It will however, be understood that any form of needle mechanism and complemental stitch forming mechanism may be employed in connection with my invention,

whether said stitch forming mechanism is of a through and through type or of the blind stitching type such as that illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Any suitable work presenting mechanism may be employed and equipped with the invention constituting the subject matter of the present application. As illustrated herein the work su i porting member is in the form of a rectangular block '12 which ex tends through the bed plate 1 and desirably is provided with a removable cap '13 slotted to accommodate the rows of teeth of the feed dogs. The work supporting member i2 is provided at its ends with extensions which terminate in bosses 1d, 15 which "form j()tli' nals for the ends of rock shafts l6, 1'? which serve to operate the feed dogs as will herematter more fully appear.

The work supporting member is also provided with projecting members 71S, 19 and 20 and which extend toward the end or the machine, the members 18 and 20 having cured thereto downwardly depending arouate guides 21 and 22 which are provided with longitudinal slots. (see Fig. l). The guides 21 and 22 embrace and are slidably mounted upon the outer walls oi'a bracket 23, the base 24: of which is secured to the under surface of the bed plate. This bracket is provided at its lower end with a transverse web 25 having a central screw 26 which engages and supports the lower end oi a helical spring 27, the upper end of which engages the extension 19 of the work support and normally maintain said work support in engagement with the presser :loot iii By the adjustment of the screw 26 the pres sure or the work support against the iresser foot may be regulated in the usual manner.

The feeding mechanism in the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is carried upon the shafts l6 and i7 and comprises a feed bar 28 pivotaliy connected 7 at one end to an arm 29 at the rock shaft 16,

the other end of said 'l'ced bar being bi'iui oscillation of the rock shalt 17 serves to raise .and lower/the teed dog into and out o l' engagement with the. work in a well known manner.

The feed dog 34 preilierahly is of substantially rectangular form and is provided with acentral throat to receivethe bender,-said throat being located directly beneath the stitching pointio't thestiteh ctorming meeha uisin. The work engaging surtaees '36 and 5? of the main feed dog 3d extend along th sides of the central throat opening in the direction elf the line ojt' feed. The feed dog 54 has adjacent its end downward extensions or legs 38, 39 which rest upon the feed bar 28 and are secured to it by screws L0, 41. I

The construction thus described is substantially that disclosed in my companion appli cation No. M1522 aforesaid and in this mechanism as that disclosed in said application the work upport and feed dog are alternately raised to press the work against the presser toot, the work support sustaining the work against the presser toot during the stitch forming operation and the feeding mechanism. serving to advance the work in the usual manner. 7 j v In the operation ofsewing machinesoi all type and particularly the blind stitching type in which abender presents the work to the stitch forming mechanism there is a tendency to condense or pucker. the work inclosed by the needle thread when the stitch is by the take-up. This produces lines 01 checks extendinglaterally from the line of stitching, which are ui'isightly and this puckering of the goods when excessive also interferes with the proper formation of the garment. V V

The present invention is designed for the purpose of stretching the work at the stitch ing point suiiiciently to prevent the condensing or puckering of the goods in the line of stitching, and the invention contemplates broadly the provision of means for accomplishing this function as applied to any form of sewing machine wherein it maybe found desirable.

.il preferred embodiment of the invention is ill .strated herein as applied'to a blind stitch sewing machine as above described. In this construction themain teed dog 34L is channelled longitudinally to provide are- .cess to receive the supplemental work en- :ag instrumentalities which are adapted V etch .the work at the stitching peiut. These instrumentalities as illustrated herein comprise supplemental teed dogs which are located tore and aft o'llhe throat 35 and in the vertical plane oi the line of feed.

The supplemental feed dogs 42. are conveniently made of substantially rectal gula'r plates. the dog" havinga serrated surface the teeth ofwh-ichjextend in the direction of "feed. while the feed dog 4-3 has a serrated work engaging surface in which the teeth extend in the opposite direction ainst the direction of feed. The feed 41-2 and "d3 are provided respectively Vwith laterally offset arms 46 and 47 which extend alongthe throat and are'pivoted respectively on pins or shafts 49 and 50 which are journalled in the walls of the main feed dog 3%. The supplementalwteed gage the under sides of the arms 47 and 46 respectively. The lower ends of the springs 53 and 54 are seated upon adjusting screws 55 and 56 which extend upwardly through suitable screw threaded apertures in the .lugs 38 and 39 of the feed dog.

By adjusting the screws 55 and 56, therefore the springs 53 and 54 may be given any desired degree of compression to cause a more or less firm engagement of the supplemental feed dogs 44 and 45'With the work orto adjust the height to which the sup plemental feed dogs are normally positioned above the work engaging surface of the work support. The adjusting screws 55 and 56 may be locked in adjusted position by set. screws 57 and 58 extending laterally through the lugs 38, 39 of the feed dog and abutting against the adjusting screws 55 and 56.

. In the operation of the machine the spring 27 normally forces the work support toward the presser foot to clamp the work therebetween during the stitch forming operation. The oscillation of the rock shafts 16 and 17' cause the feed dog to rise into engagement with the work and upon further upward movement to force the work support downwardly against the helical spring 27 so as to release the work. Thereupon the feed dog advances to cause the feeding movementa Atthe end of the feeding movement the feed dog is depressed and the work support again engages and clamps the work for the next step.

By reason of the fact that the work engaging surfaces of the supplemental feed dogs are normally positioned above the work engaging surface of the main feed dog they first engage the work upon the upward movement of the feed dogs and by reason of their pivotal connection are forced apart so as to stretch the work in the line of stitching. The main" feed dog then also clamps the work against the presser foot and retains the same in that position until the work support rises to clamp the work against the presser foot. The work is thereby retained in a stretched condition at the stitching point while the needle thread is passed through it and the stitch formed and set. \Vhen the work is released by the withdrawal of the work supportfrom the presser foot the elasticity of the goods draws it back t its original position and. the'concatinat d loops of thread embrace the portions of the work in a normal condition so that the stitches are sufliciently loose not to pucker or condense the material embraced by them. By reason of this construction and operation a seam is made which is smooth and without puckers or checks.

While two supplemental feed dogs have been illustrated herein as the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be obvious that a single supplemental feed dog may be utilized and under certain conditions ar ranged either in front or behind the stitching point. It will also be understood that other work engaginginstrumentalities may be employed to perform the function aforesaid within the meaning and scope of my invention. The following claims, therefore are intended to cover any form of supplemental 'work engaging means operable to stretch the work in the direction of the line of feed at the stitching point.

Having thus described my invention what T'claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

1. Feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a main feed dog having a work engaging surface, means for actuating said dog to advance the work, and supplemental work engaging instrumentalities located fore and aft of the stitching point, means for moving one of said work engaging instrumentalities in the same direction as that of the movement of the main feed dog and also relatively to said main feed dog and means for moving the other of said instrumentalities simultaneously in the opposite direction whereby a portion of the work engaged by said supplemental work engaging members will be stretched at the stitching point,

2. Feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a main feed dog having work engaging surfaces, means for actuating said dog to advance the work and supplemental work engaging instrumentalities located fore and aft of the stitching point positioned to engage the same surface of the work as that engaged by the main feed dog and means for moving said supplemental work engaging .instrumentalities simultaneously relatively to said main feed dog and in opposite directions to stretch the work in the direction of the line of feed at the stitching point.

3. Feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a main feed dog having a central throat located at the stitching point and parallel roughened work engaging surfaces at the side of said central threat, a supplemental feed dog mounted upon said main feed dog intermediate of the work ongaging surfaces thereof and normally projecting above said main feed dog, said supplemental feed dog being located at the rear of the central throat and means for moving said supplemental feed dog rea-rwardly relatively to said main feed dog when forced into'engagement with the work and thereby to stretch the work from the stitching point rearwardly.

i. Feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a main feed dog having a central throat located at the stitching point and parallel roughened work engaging surfaces at the sides of said central throat, a supplemental feed dog mounted upon said main feed dog intermediate of the work engaging surfaces of said main feed dog and located in advance of said central throat and means for moving said supplemental feed dog relatively to said main feed dog in the opposite direction to that of movement of the main feed dog and acting to retard the feeding of the work thereby stretching it at the stitching point.

5. Feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a main feed dog having a central throat at the stitching point and parallel work engaging surfaces upon opposite sides of said central throat, a supplemental feed dog having a work engaging surface normally yieldably supported above the work engaging surface of the main feed dog, means pivotally connecting said supplemental feed dog to said main feed dog operable to cause said supplemental dog to move relatively to the main feed dog when the work engaging surface of said supplemental dog is depressed to the plane of the work engaging surface of the main feed dog.

6. Feeding mechanism for sewing 1nachines comprising a main feed dog having a central throat at the stitching point, and

parallel work engaging surfaces upon opposite sides of said central throat, supplemental feed dogs located fore and aft of said central throat having their work engaging surfaces normally yieldably supported above the work engagingsurface of the main feed dog and means pivotally connecting said supplemental dogs to said main feed dog to cause said supplemental dogs to advance in oppositedirections when their work engaging surfaces are depressed to the plane of the work engaging surface of the main feed dog.

7 F ceding mechanism comprising a main feed dog having a central throat at the stitching point and a work engaging surface extending in the direction of the line of feed,

supplemental feed dogs located fore and aft of said central throat adjustable means yieldably supporting said supplemental feed dogs with their work engaging surfaces normally above the work engaging surface of the main feed dog and means connecting said supplemental feed dogs to said main feed dogs to cause said supplemental feed dogs to advance in opposite directions when their work engagingsurfaces are depressed to the plane of the work engaging surface of the work support.

8. Feeding'mechanism comprising a main feed dog having a central. throat at the stitching point and a work engagingsurface extending in the direction of the line of feed,

in opposite directions when their work engaging surfaces are depressed to the plane of the work engaging surface of the main feed dog. 7' 9. Feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a' main feed dog having a central throat at the stitching point and parallel work engaging surfaces upon opposite sides of 'said central throat, supplemental feed dogslocated fore and aft of said throat having arms pivoted respectively at the opposite :ends of said main feed dog means yieldably supporting said feed dogs with their work engaging surfaces above the work engaging surface of the main feed dog whereby upon depression of the work engaging surface of the supplemental feed dogs to the plane of the work engaging surface of the main feed: dog said supplemental feed dogs will be separated to stretch the work at the stitching point. a

10. Feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a main feed dog havlng a central throat at the stitching point and parallel work engaging surfaces upon opposite sides -'of-said-cen'-ral throat, supplemental feed dogs located fore and aft of said throat having arms pivoted respectively at the opposite end of said main feed dog,

'means yieldably supporting said feed dogs with then work engaging surfaces above the work engaging surface of the main feed dog whereby upondepression of the workengaging surface of the supplemental feed dogs'to the plane of the workengaging surface of the main feed dog said supplemental feed dogs will be separated to stretch the work-at the stitching point and means for adjusting said yieldable supporting means.-

11. In a blind stitch sewing machine comprising a work support, an overhanging arm having a head carrying a presser foot, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism, means for actuatingsaid stitch forming mechanism, work presenting mechanism including a bender and means for actuating thesame and feeding mechanism comprising-.21, main feed dog having a central throat to receive said bender, work engaging surfaces extending in the direction of the line of feed located at the sides of said central throat, means for actuating said main feed dog, Supplemental work engaging instrumentalities located fore and aft of said central throat and means for actuating said supplemental instrumentalities to stretch the work at the stitching point.

12. In a blind stitch sewing machine comprising a work support, an overhanging arm having a head, a presser foot rigidly secured to said head, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism supported by said head and means for actuating said stitch forming mechanism, work presenting mechanism comprising a bender and means for actuating the same, a yieldable Work support and feeding mechanism comprising a main feed dog having a central throat opening to receive said bender and work engaging surfaces extending in the direction of the line of feed located at the sides of said central throat, means for actuating said main feed dog, supplemental feed dogs located fore and aft of said main feed dog, means for yieldably supporting said supplemental feed dogs with their work engaging surfaces extending above the plane of the work engaging surfaces of said main feed dog, means connecting said supplemental dogs to said main feed dog operable when said supplemental feed dogs are depressed in their co-operation with the presser foot to cause said supplemental feed dogs to advance in opposite directions to stretch the Work at the stitching point.

13. In a blind stitch sewing machine comprising a work support, an overhanging arm having a head, a presser foot rigidly secured to said head, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism supported by said head and means for actuating said stitch forming mechanism, work presenting mechanism comprising a bender and means for actuating the same, a yieldable work support, and feeding mechanism comprising a main feed dog having a central throat opening to receive said bender and work engaging surfaces extending in the direction of the line of feed located at the sides of said central throat, means for actuating said main feed dog, supplemental feed dogs located fore and aft of said main feed dog, means for yieldably supporting said supplemental feed dogs with their work engaging surfaces extending above the plane of the work engaging surfaces of said main feed dog, means for adjusting said yieldable sup porting means, means connecting said supplemental dogs to said main feed dog operable when said supplemental feed dogs are depressed in their co-operation with the presser foot to cause said supplemental feed dogs to advance in opposite directions to stretch the work at the stitching point.

14. In a blind stitch sewing machine comprising a base, an overhanging arm having a head carrying a presser foot, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism and means for actuating said stitch forming mechanism, rock shafts.

pivotally mounted upon said base and carrying at their free ends a work support and feeding mechanism, means for yieldably forcing said work supporting and feeding mechanism toward said presser foot and means for oscillating said rock shafts to cause said work support and feeding mechanism to co-operate with said presser foot and stitch forming mechanism, said feeding mechanism comprising a main feed dog having a Work engaging surface and supplemental work engaging instrumentalities located fore and aft of the stitching point and means for actuating said supplemental work engaging instrumentalities Which stretch the work in the direction of the line of feed at the stitching point.

15. In a blind stitch sewing machine comprising a base, an overhanging arm having a head carrying a presser foot, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism and means for actuatmg said stitch forming mechanism, rock shafts pivotally mounted upon said bases and carrving at their free ends a work support and feeding mechanism, means for yieldably forcing said work support and feeding mechanism toward said presser foot and means for oscillating said rock shafts to cause said work support and feeding mechanism to co-operate with said presser foot and stitch forming mechanism, said feeding mechanism comprising a main feed dog having a work engaging surface and supplemental work engaging instrumentalities located fore and aft of the stitching point and means for actuating said supplemental work engaging instrumentalities which stretch the work in the direction of the line of feed at the stitching point, a bender pivotally mounted upon said base and means for actuating said bender to present the work to the stitch forming mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAD J. HAYES. 

